1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new sport similar to the traditional game of billiards. In particular, the invention provides additional elements and complexities to the traditional game of billiards.
2. Related Art
As a sport, today's billiards is viewed by the public as a very low-key game. Unlike other sports, billiards championship events do not draw much attention from the public. Any observer of a billiards championship competition will notice that the games have become much shorter in duration and easier to complete. A top champion usually finishes the game fairly quickly. The competitors' skills have advanced highly, while the standards of the game have remained static. Once a player starts the game, it is very likely that he or she will place the balls in the pockets with no effort—so much so that winning or losing has come down to just a few small errors by a participant in the last moments of a game. As a consequence, watching these games has become somewhat boring and monotonous, and because of this, public participation is extremely low as compared to other sports. To attract public interest and open new opportunities for participation in the game and championship competitions, the game of billiards must somehow become more exciting and challenging, with a view to eventual commercial gains.
A typical game of billiards consists of a standard set of fifteen (15) game balls that are identical to one another in size and mass, and a sixteenth (16th) ball, the cue ball, usually of the same size and mass as the game balls. However, with automatic vending-machine type billiard tables the cue ball is slightly larger than the game balls to enable the return of the cue ball in the event that it inadvertently falls into one of the game table pockets.
The underlying object of traditional billiards is to knock the game balls into the pockets of the game table by way of an impact initiated by the cue ball. Variations of the game of billiards may include utilizing a number of game balls that is different than fifteen (15), changing the initial setup of the balls, adding any number of additional balls at various locations around the table or utilizing similar and dissimilar ball shapes and weights. Additionally, the markings on the balls may be altered from the standard numbering of 1 through 15, where the first eight balls are of various solid colors and the remaining seven are striped with various colors. For example, the markings on the balls may be altered to simulate other sports or sports paraphernalia. And finally, the ordering scheme in which the game balls are to be knocked into the game table pockets may be altered.
In analyzing traditional billiards, regardless of the variations described above, the game is technically based on three elements or dimensions: (1) distance, (2) angle, and (3) force. In other words, the three technically variants are the distance of the ball from the target, the angle of the ball in relationship to the target, and the force behind the ball provided by the player to drive the ball to the target. To the masters, handling these three elements has become too easy. Players at the championship levels have mastered the technique of handling these elements. To make the game more complicated, a new element or a new dimension must be added to the game. Once this is accomplished, the game will become more challenging to play and more interesting to watch.